Wire-stretcher.



L. B. KELLEY.

WIRE STRETUHER.

APPLIOATION FILED OCT. 1, 1909.

1,006,485, I Pa tented 9011.24, 1911.

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LOUIS B. KELLEY, 0F COLQUITT, GEORGIA.

WIRE-STRETGHER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 24, 1911.

Application filed October 1, 1909. Serial No. 520,514.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, LOUIS B. KELLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Golquitt, in the county of Miller and State of Georgia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wire-Stretchers, of which the'following is a specification.

This invention has relation to certain new and useful improvements in wire fence stretchers.

The object of my invention is to provide a light, positively operating device, exceedingly simple in construction, by means of which a wire fence may be drawn taut, during the operation of securing the same to the fence post.

With these and other objects in view, the present invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes in the specific structure shown and described may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views, Figure 1 shows an elevational view disclosing a portion of a wire fence being held in a stretched condition by means of my improved wire stretcher. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detached top detail. Fig. 3 is a side view with one of the frame members removed disclosing the position of the pawl.

In the accompanying drawings, the numeral 2O designates the two similar frame members of the stretcher, as used in my invention. Movably held between these two members 20 and located adjacent to the ends thereof, are the hooks 21 and 22 secured respectively by means of the bolts 23 and 2 1. Mounted centrally between the hooks 21 and 22 and journaled within the opposite sides of the frame members 20 is the arbor 25 which revolubly supports the ratchet wheel 26, the latter being secured to said arbor, and fixed to the latter is a drum 27 through which an opening 28 is formed and into said arbor, while the ends 29 and 30 of the operating head 31 are held in a movable position upon the arbor on either side of the ratchet 26, as clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The operating head 31 has a socket 32 arranged to receive a bar by means of which the head may be rocked or oscillated in respect to the ratchet 26.

Movably secured to one side of the operating head 31 is a pawl 34: arranged for coaction with the ratchet wheel 26, as shown.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the hook 21 is provided with a socket 1, from which extends the stop shoulder 2, this stop shoulder being arranged to work against the base of the stem 35 of the pawl 26, the head 37 of which is held within the socket 1 and about the bolt 23.

In use, the cable 40 is secured to a suitable fence post or other support, while the hook 21 is secured to one of the chain links 42 extending from the hook 43, which hook is arranged to be secured to the clamp 5 as used in my-invention. The cable 40 is, as shown, in Fig. 2, secured to the drum 27 so that in rotating this drum 27 the cable is wound upon the same in the operation of stretching the fence or a wire.

The operation of my device is very simple. The clamp 5 having been secured to the fence fabric, the cable 10 is secured to a fence post when the head is actuated to rotate the drum to wind the cable upon the same. In this position the hook 21 will be drawn into alinement with the frame members 20, so that the shoulder 2 will work against the pawl 35 to force the head 26 into positive'engagement with the ratchetwheel 26. No backward or retrograde move ment of the drum is then possible. As soon, however, as the tension is released, the hook 21 will drop out of alinement with the frame bars 20, causing the lower shoulder of the socket l of the hook 21 to come in contact with the lower edge of the pawl 35, whereby the latter will be carried out of contact with the ratchet 26. Ordinarily, a spring is employed to force the pawl into engagement with the ratchet, but in my invention it will be seen that the hook 21 performs a double function, in that the same while in use forces the pawl 35 into engagement with the ratchet 26. The pawl carried by the operating head is gravity actuated, so that no springs are used in connection with the pawls.

A wire stretcher constructed according to my invention is simple and inexpensive in construction, and both durable and efficient in operation.

What is claimed is 2 p 1. A wire stretcher comprisingv a suitable frame, a winding drum mounted in the frame, said drum having an aperture for a wire, a ratchet wheel mounted in the frame,

a movable lever, a pawl carried thereby for engagement with said ratchet wheel, a hook movably secured to said frame, the latter having a socket provided with an upper and lower shoulder, a pawl movably carried by said hook and freely received by the socket, the free end of said pawl being also adaptedfor engagement with: the ratchet wheel, whereby the upper shoulder of the hook is in contact with the last named pawl whenthe hook is in alinement with the frame, to hold the'pawl in engagementwitlr the ratchet wheel, and the lower shoulder is in contact with the pawl when the" hook is below the frame to release the pawl from thera-tchet 1 wheel two similar frame members, an arbor carried between said members a drum fixed to said: arbor and located adjacent to one of said members, means upon the drum to engage a cable, a ratchet also fixed to said arbor at a suitable distancefrom the drum,

a forked operating head mounted upon the arbor, a hook movably secured between the 5 frame members at one end thereof, said hook having a socket provided with an upper and lower shoulder, a pawl movably carried by ;'said hook and freely received by the socket, the free end of said pawl being adapted for i engagement with the ratchet wheel, whereby the upper shoulder of the hook is in contact with the pawl when the hook is in alinement I with the frame, tohold the pawl in engagement with the ratchet and the lower shoulder is contact with the pawl when the ,hook is-below the frame to release the pawl from the ratchet, and. a second hook movably secured between the opposite ends of the r frame members.

In testimony whereof I afii-xmy signature,

, 7 v in presence of two witnesses. 2 A: wire stretcher having 1n combination LOUIS B; KELLEY.

Witnesses:

M. MILLER,-

1 W. BUSH.

Copies 61 thiS-paitflt may-be obthfiie'd fdffive cents eacfi, 15y addressing the Commissioner oi' Patents;

, v Washington, D. 0'! 

